Braiding-machine.



4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTBD APR. 12, 1904.

J. P. SWIFT. BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLIonIoN FILED JUN; 4. 1902.

no nonni..

h//ITA/jsf THE nonms trans no.. Wonu-mo.4 wAsnmcJoN. D. cv

No. 751,423. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

- J. P. SWIFT.

BBAIDING MACHINE.

l Aruornol rlnnn :un: 4. 1902.V lo 101m.. 4 sums-snm* a.

W/ -r/v55555 *me mams P Tzns co, woran-mo.. wAsumcTcN. n. c4

4,. 0 9 1 rim. 1 R. P A D E T N E ml. A P T hr. I W S DH.. J. 3l. 2 A.. 7 5 .l 0l .N

BMIDING, MAGHIN-B. APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 4,'1-902.

'4 SHEETS-SHEET s.

,N0 MODEL.

M 7*/vg5555, A

YN: Norms vsvzns co. mnrouno.. wAsmMsToN, of.

No. 757,423. A PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

J. P. SWIFT.

BRAIDING MACHINE.V

` v APPLICATIONFILED .TUNE 4, 1902. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEBT-4.

MJ/)M A UNITED STATES Patented April 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

.IoHN r. swIFT, oF FAWTUCKET, RHODE IsLAND, AssIeNoH oF THREE- FoUETHs To ADAM sUTcLIFFE, oFlPAwTUcKET, H HoDE ISLAND.`

' BRAlDINAG-NIACHINE.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part df' Letters Patent N6. 757,423, dated April 12,1904, i

`Applimationfiled June 4, 1902. Serial No. 110,135. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it myrcorwern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. SWIFT, a citi-` zen of the United States of America, and a resident of Pawtucket, county of Providence, and'State of Rhode Island, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Braiding-Machines, of which theV following is a specification. A f

My'invention relates to improvements in braiding-machines in'whichthethread is carried by an inner and outer series of bobbins,

both series moving inraf circular course, but

in opposite directions, the interlacing ofthe thread iny my device being `accomplished. by the operation of a series of crank-actuated arms which carry the'thread of the outer series of bobbins over and under that of the inner series .at predetermined intervals; 'and the object of my invention is to provide. a braiding-machine in `which cam movements and reciprocating action are either eliminated or greatlysimplied. g 1 I also aim to secureby myinvention an automatic stopping `device which will stop the machine incase of the breaking of a thread from either series of bobbins.A

My invention consists, essentially, of a fixed circular bed, with-a suitable support therefor,`

a revolving spider, the outerA ends ofwhich constitute together a segmental trackWay,-a series of bobbin-carriers adapted to move therein, a second and outerseries of bobbins mounted upon said segments, and a plurality:

of crank-actuated arms operating to pass the thread from said second series of bobbins over and under the thread of theinner series of-` bobbin-carrier-supported bobbins at predetermined intervals. t

The construction of myl Invention 1s disclosed by the accompanying drawings, "in

which- Figure 1 isa planview the spider;l Fig. 2, a vertical section onthe line shown by y y in Fig. -4 looking toward the right; Fig. 8, a detail of 4the stopping mechanism; Fig. 4, an elevationof apart of the bed and segmental trackway, showingthe outer series of bobbins and the crank-actuated arms; Fig. 5, a sectional.A view of one ofthe looking-down upon interior bobbins; Figsand 7, details of the stopping mechanism, Fig. 7 being a section" through X X of Fig. 5; and Figs. 8 and 9, details of the bobbin-hub and bobbin-carrier, Fig. 9 being a vertical section through the center line of Fig. 8. t l The same numerals designate the same parts throughout. A I

In Fig.` 2 the-numeral 9 representsthe circular bed ofl the machine, having its t center removed. The bed 9 is supported at suitable intervals by legs.' (Not shown in thedraw' ings.) `To 9, by means of bolts, are fixed the arms 5, which are integral with the sleeve 6, in which revolves the upright shaft 4. The

outer edge of 9 is'lianged and cut with gearteeth, asshownat 10.

In Fig. 1, ,1'is`y the driving-shaft; 7 O and '69, the fast and loose pulleys, respectively;l 68,

-thebelt-ship'penand 65 theshipping-rod.

8 in Fig. 2. isthe spider, having the hub 7. Attached to :the outer end of each arm 8 by screws or some: equivalent means-is the' mem-` ber 22, which constitutesonesegmentofthe trackwayl and-.f also' supports the gearing Vini termediate the bobbin-carriers and the bed 9.`

The shaft 1 communicatesmotion to`l` the spider`8 8 by means ofy bevel-gearsbeneath the bed of the machine and shownat 2-and3 in Fig.`2. "1

17 17 represent fthe inner bobbins revolving upon spindles and located just aboveylthe arms of the spidersr Thisseries oflbobbi-ns has the' spindles placed horizontally. "The" outer series of bobbins is shown at 5() and 'is mounted upon the segments lixed upon `thefeXtremities of the spider-arms.

dricalbrotller'shapeay V l 4 inFig. 2 is the vertical shaft upon which' .85 Cone-shaped bobbins are1preferablyv used `with my machine, although itis pplicable -to spools or bobbin's of a 'cylin;

24,25 ,arethe `crank-actuated arms. Y (Seen best in Fig. 4.)A Thesearms are pivoted upon' -in Fig. 4.)

upon the support 16, which fits into the bobbin-carrier 14 15, said bobbin-carrier consisting, essentially, of the member 15 and the member 14, suitably fastened together by screws and sliding in the trackway formed, as shown, at the outer extremity of the spider by the segmental members 22, having the cap 38. An

elevation of these bobbin-carriers is shown inA Fig.- k4 at 14 15, while Figs. 8 and 9 give an enlarged plan and vertical section thereof, respectively. l The hub proper of the inner bobbins is provided witha projection 16, comprising a shank or arm having a ianged upper portion. The shank lits into avertical slot in the member 15, and at the same time a pin 16,inte gral'with kthe flanged upper portion of 16, fits with a sliding connection into a suitable hold or seat in the upper part of the member 15. The bobbin-carriers have upon lthe'bottom of the member 14 a segmental rack 14 engaging the pinion13. (Shown in Figs.- 2 and 9 in crosssection, a front view of which is seen in Fig. 4.) This pinion is mounted so as to revolve upon the stud 21, which is fixed at its Vinner end `to the member 22 at the outer end of the arm 8. (Seen best in Fig. 2.) The pinion 13 is provided with the hub 45, integral with which is the toothed pinion 12. This pinion engages with the gear 11, revolving upon the stud 20, said stud itself being fixed upon the lower part of the segment, as shown-at22 in Fig. 2. This latter gear 11 engages the gear 10 upon the hed 9.- As the arms'8 of the spider are revolved the gear 11 is caused to revolve also, which in turn gives revolution to the pinion 12 and the gear 13, thus moving the bobbin-carrier 14 15 in the opposite direction to that of the spider, the sizes of the intermediate gears being such that the speed of lthe bohbin-carrier'is just equal tothat of the spider, but in the lopposite direction. The length of the member' 14 of the bobbin-carrier is a little less than the distance between the centers of two adjacent pinions 13, being just enough for one pinion 13 to engage the member'14 just before an adjacent pinion 13 releases it, and the distance between adjacent bobbin-carriers is such that 13 engages one bobbin-carrier at or about the same moment that it releases the preceding one.

Upon the gear 11 is'the connecting-rod 19, attached to said gear by the stud 18. This connecting-rod has'a joint 72 connecting it with the member'25 by means of the shorter memberv 24,- the two members forming to` gether one solid integral arm joined at the hub-23 and oscillating upon the stud 27, which Studis fixed to'theouter face of the segment 22. Fig. 4 shows the adjacentcrank-actuated which -bed 9 -of the machine.

space is open, said end 52, with the thread,

remaining below the segment 22 long enough for one or more bobbin-carriers, as desired, with its or their inner. bobbin or bobbins, to pass over it, 4coming up again when the space ris clear and remaining above the segment 22 Vlong enough for the desired number of bobbin-carriers, with their inner bobbins, to pass under it, thus forming the braid. The course of the thread from the outer series of bobbins is shown in Figs. 2 and 4.l As it leaves Ithe bobbin 50, Fig. 4, the thread passes through an eye 34 at the upper end of an upright rod 29, which rod is fixed to a projection 37, integral with the upper part of the cap 38 of the trackway. Thence the thread passes down the side of said rod and out again through a second eye 73. (Seen in Fig. 2.) Supported by the upright rod 29 is a bracket 32, having at its upper part aflat seat for the thread and bearing the spindle 30, on which is loosely slipped the weight 31, which is retained in place by the spindle 30 and its own weight. The thread passes under the weight 31 and is held against the seat by said weight, whence it passes through a lateral slot 35 in a rod 28, which rod slides loosely through a perforation in the segmental trackway. The thread passes from said slot through a vertical slot 33 of said bracket 32, thence through a Vertical slot' 36 inthe member 26, which is supported by and integral with the stud 27. The head of this stud' 27 is slotted or grooved, as shown in Fig. 2, and through .this groove the thread passes, thence to an eyelet 46 and through the extremity of the, arm 24 25, as shown at 52 in Fig. 4, to the braid at the center'. The rod 28 is normally suspended when the machine is going by the thread passing through the slot 35, as described, and the weight ofthi's rod 28 furnishes the necessary tension to the thread and keeps the same uniform. The rod 28 is placed 'beneath the weight 31, and the draft on the thread raises 28 until it lifts 31, thus releasing the necessary supply.

The automatic stoppingdevice is shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, with certain details shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. As already stated, the rod 28l is while the machine is in motion sus-` pended entirely by the'tension of the thread passes through the lateral slot 35. Should a thread from any one of the outer series of bobbins break, the rod 28 would be immediately released and would fall by grav ity, so that its lower end could rest upon the At a certain point in this .hed isattached a partially-revoluble shaft IOC or `'stud 48, having fixed thereonabove the bed a trippingdog 47 and below the bed a latchbar 49. (Seen in plan in Fig. 1 in dotted lines.) This latch-bar engages an arm projecting from a collar 64, xed upon the shipper-rod 65,

Vthen engages the dog/47, trips' the latch-bar 49, and the spiral spring66, suitably fastened at one end to a bearing 67, attached to the bed and having its `other end retained by a collar upon the shipper-rod, throws said shippervrod from the tight tothe loose pulley, thus stopping the machine. The shipper-rod is held to the bed by the bearings 67 and 71, Fig; 1. v

` The above-described device is used for stopping the machine upon the breaking of a thread of the outer series of bobbins. The stopping device connected 'with the inner series of bobbins is shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 and also in Fig. 3, Fig-7 being a section through m m of Fig'. 5.` Upon the supportl,

on which each of the interior series of bobbins is mounted, 1s a projectlng arm 6 1, on

which is vfixed the tube 42, parallel `with the y l spindle supporting the bobbin. (Seen best in Fig. 5.) This tube 42 has a part 'of its lateral wall removed, makingthe recess 59.` Upon the spindle 56 of the bobbin 17 `and immediately below the base thereof is adisk 5 4 in the form of a sector of a circle, Fig. 6. This diskl is revolubly mounted upon the hub 55 of the spindle 56, that carries the bobbin,and is separated from thefbobbin by the washer 58.

Within thehub 5,5 is an" annular space containing a spiral spring..` (Shown by the dotted lines 57 in Fig. 5.) This vspring being compressed by `the washer 58 operates by frictiony to prevent the too free rotation of the bobbin.* Integral with the disk 54 and forming a part thereof is the arm'41, projectingbeyond the center of the bobbin u'p'on the opposite side thereof from the disk 54,-thedisk being heavier than the arm 41. The thread 45,', passing from the bobbin, goes through the tube V42 and also through a perforation 60, Fig. 5, near the circumference 'of the disk54. Thence the thread passes to the center of the bobbin and out through the spindle 56, which istubular in form, to the braid 44. The1bobbin17 is re-4 tained upon the spindle by the collar 6,2, at-

tached by a set-screw to the spindle. Fig. 61

is an elevation of one of the interior bobbins looked at from withoutthev machine and represents the normal position of thedisk 54, with itsV arm 41 as supported by the thread while the machine isfrunning. This disk is Vretained in this position by the thread passing through `the perforation 60; but if the thread should break vthe -disk and arm 41 lbeing in unstable equilibrium the disk 54 immediately drops, and the arm 41 correspondingly rlses.

I, One or more of the brackets 32, supported by the rod 29. previously described, is made revoluble on said rod.- This revoluble bracket is shown in detail in Fig.` 3 and has projecting downwardly therefrom the arm 39, with apin 40.v When the disk 54 with its arm 41 are in their Inormal Y position during the v operation of the machine, the bobbin 17, with its carrier and all other connections, passes below the pin 40 without touching the same; but in case ofthe breaking of the thread`45 the disk 54 being released immediately drops, the arm 41 rises correspondingly, and the length of 41 is suchthat it engages the pin 40 of the arm 39 and causes the same to make a partialrevolution upon the upright rod 29.` This partial revolution of thejbracket 32, with its slots 33,

withdraws the thread from the slot 35 in the rod 28, which rod then drops, asin the case of the breaking of a thread in the outer series of bobbins, engaging the dog 47 and its connected mechanism and stopping the machine in the same manner as, above described.

Y It -willbe seen from an inspection of my de- Vice that a great number ofvariations are possible in the styleofbraid manufactured. j For instance, it is Inot necessary that the thread from any given outer bobbin should pass' alternately over and under theadjacent lthreads from the. inner series. The sizes of theparts may be changed, so that each exteriorthreadlshall passv over and under two or more interior `threads or over one and under twoor more, or vice Versa. Thebraid 'may be furtherffvaried by the removal `of a part of the bobbins frornthe outer 'series or ofa part of the'bobbins froml `the inner series.. Again,

`the crank-actuated arms may be so adj usted as toall rise together and all fall together or'` so that any number of thearms may rise vand fall simultaneously, thus producing what I believe to be entirely new and novel stylesor designs ofbraid. i "i *i Having now described my invention, whatv I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters lPatent, is--l V 1 1. In a braiding-machine `the combination of a stationary circular bed having a toothed rim; a series of gears 11 in mesh with said rim and revoluble bothupon their own axes and also? around saidbed; aseriesof bobbin-carriers; a gear 1'3- in' mesh with said bobbin-carriers, and integral with 13 a pinion' 12 in mesh I with the gears 11; an inner series of bobbins I mountedon said bobbin-carriers; an outer se-" IOO IIO

ries ofl bobbins; aplurality of thread-guiding members, and means for'rotating said bohbini carriers in one direction and'said outer series of bobbins and said thread-guldmg members said spider; aseries of bobbin-carriers slidingL in said trackway; an'innerv series of bobbins borne by said bobbin-carriers; an outer series `of bobbins mounted upon theextremitiesof said spider; ya yplurality .of movable threadguiding arms also mounted upon said extremities, and operating to guidel the thread from said outer seriesof bobbins across the path of ysaid innerA series of bobbins at predetermined intervals; and means for simultaneously revolving in `opposite directions said threadguiding4 members. andsaid bobbin-carriers, substantially as described.

3.In a braiding-machine a revoluble segmentaltrackway; a series of thread-supplying devices mounted thereon; a plurality of threadguiding members therefor; a series of connecting-rods actuating-said members; a series of gears operatingA said connecting-rods and engaging a stationary rack common to them all, the wholein Vcombination with said 'stationary rack; therelative position of* said thread-guiding members being so adjustable as to present the thread guided by said members in a variable relation -to a second set of thread-supplying devices, so as to form braid of different styles, substantially as described..y 4. In .a braiding-machiney the combination i of a stationary circular. bed having-aftootlied rim; aseries ofgears -11 in mesh with said rim, and rotatable both upon. their own axes and alsoaround said bed; a spider supporting said gears and revolubly mounted above saidbed;

a segmental circular trackway ,concentric with said rim,and formed Vby recesses within the extremities of said-spider; a series of bobbincarriers moving in said trackway; a set of gearing intermediate said bobbin-carriers and the gearsll 'and operatingto drivesaid bob-1 bin-carriers insaid4 trackway; a plurality of movable'thread-guiding ,members mounted uponthe eXtremitiesiof said spider; and-a se` ries of connecting-rods 19 operated by said gearsll, the. relative arrangement of .parts being such .that said bobbin-carriers and said thread-guiding members revolve in opposite directions by means ofthe revolution of said spider, substantially as described for the purpose specified. l i i i 5. 4In a braiding-machine a circular bed having a toothed rim; a revoluble segmental trackway suitably mounted on said bed; an outer series of bobbins supported upon the segments of said trackway; fa plurality of thread-guiding members-alsosupported upon said segments; a series-of` `bobbin-.carriers moving insaid trackway but in an opposite direction thereto, each of said bobbin-carriers having a segmental rack upon .the bottom thereof.; an

'substantially as described.

inner series of bobbins supported-by said bobbin -carriers; a series of gears and pinions mounted upon the segments of said -trackway 1and intermediate the toothed rim of said bed and said bobbin-c'arriers, and a series of connecting-rods connecting said gears with said thread-.guiding members and' operating to pass the thread from said outer ser-ies of bobbins over and under thethread from any desired number of bobbins of saidinner series, substantially as described.

6. In a braiding-machine,

weight resting thereon; a--movable rodnormally suspended underneath-said weight by a loop of said thread when said machine is in a tension device f `consisting of a seat-crossed by the thread; a

operation, in such a manner-that the draft I upon fthe thread `raises said rod until lit engages andlifts said weight fromy the thread, thus releasing the desired amount of thread,

7. In a braiding-machine ofthe type men-k tioned, an automatic stopping device consist' ing of an-unbalanced d-iskrevolublyfmounted on the hub offeach of the inner series of lbob-l bins and having an army radially projecting D therefrom; avertical `rod supported vby the thread from a bobbin-of the outer series, by means of a lateral slot therein; anupright rod 29; a two-armedl bracket revolubly mounted thereon; onearm of said bracket being slotted to receive the threadv aforesaid after the same passes from said vertical rod, the otherl arm .of said bracket projecting downwardly .toward the radially-projecting arm of the unbalanced disk aforesaid, and adapted to engage *said arm when'sa'iddiskis released by the Ico breaking of-a thread from a bobbin ofsaid'- .inner series; a spring-actuated shipper-rod;

a latch-bar engaging said shipper-rod; a dog operating thesaid `latch-bar; the relation be tweensaidI parts being such that the breaking f of a thread'from a bobbinof said-outer seriesy at once releases said 'vertical rod causing the same to drop and-engage `said dog and stopv .the machine by means'of said dog, 'latch-bar and shipper-rod, :while-the breaking of the .IIO

thread' from a bobb'in-of said inner series releases said vertical rod in like manner, by the I' consequent engagement of the radial arm of the aforesaid disk with the downwardly-pro- -jecting arm ofthe bracket aforesaid, -all substantially as described for the purpose speci- 8. -In-a braiding-machine the combination ofy the following instrumentalities: a segmental member 22; a bobbin-carrier composed ofan upper member 154 adapted to hold: a-bobbin,

and alower member 14 iXedupon -said memberfland sliding easilyl in saiclsegmental member 22, the lower surfaceof 14 forming` `a rack; a gear -13 and integral therewith a pinion 12,fsaidgear 13 being in mesh with the rack upon the 'member 14; a gear 11 in mesh with said pinion-12; athread-guiding Signed at Pawtucket this 31st day of Maty;`v` 1902.

JOHN P. SWIFT.

Witnesses: q

JAMES L. JENKS, FLORENCE E. BATES; 

